Telephone system and appliances



J. S. JONES ET AL.

TELEPHONE SYSTEM AND APPLIANCES Filed Oct. 28, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l J. S. JONES ET AL TELEPHONE SYSTEM AND APPLIANCES Filed Oct. 28, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NEY Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,689,391 P ATEN T; OFFICE JOSEPH S. JONES, OF BROOKLYN, AND SAMUEL N. MEAD, JR., 0F BALDWIN, N EW YORK, .ASSIGNORS TO CHAS. CORY & SGN, INCORPORATED, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A COR- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

TELEPHONE SYSTEM AND APPLIANCES.

Application led October 28, 1925. Serial No. 65,352;

Our invention relates to al telephone system which is especially useful as a fire control and battle order communication system for warships, or for other purposes when conditions or requirements are more or less similar.

A general object of the invention is to provide one or more nia-in telephone lilies or group circuits with means for connecting in each group circuit any one or more of a plurality of local stations, represented in the present particular example by stationary instruments or jack boxes at the local stations, which may be identified as lire control stations, since in the present specific embodiment the invention is particularly adapted for lire control communication; but the reference to such uses is not intended to have. a. necessarily limiting significance.

A further object is to provide, when there is more than one group circuit, for connecting any two or more of these circuits, which is usually accomplished by means of group switches and a common trunk or connector circuit. Then by connecting any one or more of the localstations in the respectivegroup circuits, intercommimication may be afforded between local stations of different group circuits.

Another object is to arrange the local or fire control stations for cosoperation with port-able instruments, usually combined receivers and transmit-ters, each instrument being arranged for convenient attachment to the torso of a member of the ships personnel, such as an oilicer or other man at a gun station, and the portable instrument has means, such as a plug, for quick and easy connection to the stationary equipment at any one of the lire control stations. Thus the oflicer or member of the gun crew may move from one local station to another and establish communication with a commanding officer by merely inserting the plug of the portable instrument into the jack of any stationary equipment at any gun station or elsewhere about the ship. Similar instruments are provided for fire. controllcommanders at any one or more general or control stat-ions, and means are provided at such stations for the pluggingfin of portable instruments of such general officers, also suitable jack or other connections may be proycentral atvided for a switch board or tendant. ,In brief, the system, as physieall;7 embodied to carry out the above stated objects, includes -means for quick and certain intercommunication between an indefinite number -of local stations and through any reasonable number of group circuits by use of portable instruments attached to the bodies of the personnel.

The invention also includes, as incidental to the attainment of the above stated objects, suitable instruments and especially suitable local station instruments or jack boxes, and

suitable portable instruments 'such as combined transmitters and receivers suitable for body attachment, with suitable mechanism or circuit arrangements in such instruments lfor proper line balancing or compensation, as suiiciently pointed out in detail hereafter.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention fare further sufficiently explained in connection with the following detail description of the accompanying drawing, which shows one representative embodiment of the invention. After considering this example, skilled persons will understand that many .'fari-ations may be made, and we contemplate the employment of any structures that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

Fig. lisa diagram illustrating the 'system as embodied in one form and also sufficiently representing essentials of the subordinate parts or instruments desirably employed therein.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portable telephone instrument (combined transmit-ter and receiver) adapted for wearing and for easy connect-ion and disconnection to a stationary ilocal instrument or jackbox.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. l shows the system or system circuits, and essential features of subordinate par-ts or instruments, in diagram, representing the invention in one form, as embodied for vfire control communication on a naval `sh-ip. The description of the system and its mechanisms, and their use for the stated purpose will sufiiciently explain how the system may be used or adapted for practically any analogous purpose, to provide telephonie intercommunication, especially when portable or detachable instruments are to be employed. Certain circuits and mechanisms are desirably located at a. control or central station represented by the dot-anddash rectangle Av,i'fghich be identified as' a line pane?" LP.: Other cir.

lli

cuits and mechanism may be located closely adj acent or more or less remote from the line panel as desired, these items being conveniently located on another panel identified as a group panel GP. The arrangement or group ing ot circuits and instruments at central stations, such as the line panel and group panel. stations are, of course, variable to a great dclgrec.

At various other .points about the ship are local stations conveniently designated as tire control. stations FC1, EQ2, FC3, etc. To cooperate with any one of the stationary lire control instruments, portable instruments PI are provided, which are somo times called head sets, but are more appropriately termed portable instruments, since each preferably includes a receiver in the form oi conneftcd ear phones, sumciently represented in the diagram by the single re c'eiver ll, and a transmitter T. Each tionary instrument includes a jack l and cach portable instrument includes a plug l), to cooperate with the jacks. The. characteristics ot these instruments will be suiiiciently 'turther described hereafter.

The system as illustrated, is arranged tor two group lines represented by the positive and negative bus conductors G1 and G2 on the line panel, where polarity properly indicated. On this panel also are the line or supply conductors L with convenient branches all similarly designated, and with polarities indicated. rlhe `@group b* extend to the group panel GP located adjacent the line panel or elsewhere, and are there provided with switches S tor selective connection to common or connector busses C.

At the line panel are jacks J1, J2, etc., each corresponding to one ot the tire` control stations with similar numeral suflix. rllhe outside contacts l and 2 ot these ia/,ks are connected to conductors 3 and l respectively, going to the corresponding lire control station. The inner, relatively movable contacts or springs 5 and 6 are connected to the supply conductors L otl opposite pola #ity through balancing' impedances 7 and 8 ot any known or suitable type. T he contacts and their respective conductors are also connected to four .stationary contacts l() to cooperate with a tour-pole switch ll with obvious connections to the group busses (l1 so that the line` operator can connect or disconnect the local instrument or jack box in its respective group, at will. rlhe panel operator or any other person may plug in to the jack J1, whether it is connected to the group busses or not. At the line panel also, is an operators jack staA tion OJ having slightly modilied arrangement, as later described, and the operator has a portable instrument or head set OI, which may be identical with the other portable instruments, such as P1 etc. Oil course, any suitable stationary or semi-portable instrun ment may be substituted for the use oi the operator to co-operate with ack station OJ or with the jacks J1, etc.

It is non7 evident that any one or more ot' the station instruments FU, etc., maybe connected to the group busses G1, and any one or more oft the station instruments FC3, etc., maybe connected to the o cup busses G2 also, that either ot the group busses G1, G2 (which represent any desired plurality) may be connected together to interconnect the station instruments ot the dilierent groups, by manipulation et the switches S. ln this way flexible inter-coninninication is obtained to any desired extent.

Any local station instrument may be crossn connected to `any group line other than its own `group line. For this purpose one or more patching cords or jumpers c may be provided, each ot which has at each end a plug l2 to co-operate with the jacks. For example, one ot the plugs oi the jumper may be insorted in jack J1 ot local station instrument Fil/1 and the switch ll ern-respondingto that` instrument opened to disconnect the local station trom its normal group. The other plug` l ot the jumper is then inserted in any jaclr such as J3 et another group line, and the corresponding switch 11 closed to connect the acl: to the group, such as the group busses G2. ln this way any one or more local stations may be connected. in a group other than their normal group line, Wit-hout connecting the `group line busses together. y

Each tire control station r local station instrument, such as F01, F02, etc., has a ack J, including springs or contacts and 6 corresponding to similar contacts ot jack J1, J2, etc., and provided with leads 18 and 19 respectively, connecting with the line wires 3 and l. Each jack also has another cont-aetin series with a condenser 2O and line wire 4t. Each jack .l also has ak contact 2l in lined relation to the relatively movable Contact 5 and in series with a compensating; impedance 22 connected to line Wire 3. Y

rlhe operators jack OJ is similar to acks J, except that it omits any ('.ontacJ lauch as 2l tor a compensating impedance which is not needed where the impedance oit only a single disconnertable instrument is .iniolverhV but it also includes relatively liXed contacts l and 2, similar to those provided 'for the same pui poses in jacks J1, J2, etc.

Each plug P ot the portable instruments 0r operators instrument P1 and 01, includes contacts 5a, 6? and l5a to correspond with ack springs or contacts identilied by the same numbers Without literal suitlx. Each of the portable instruments includes a transmitter T and a receiver' R, previously referred to, a conductor 3() leading from plug; contact 6a to a common connection between the transmitter and receiver, a conductor 31 trein plug Contact 15- to the receiver, and a conductor il il 32 from plug contact 5a to the movable con tact 35 of a switch controlled by a button 36 mounted on the transmitter casing convenient to the operator (Figs. 2 and; 3) The movable switch contact co-operates with relatively fixed contacts 87 and 38, one ot which is connected in series with a compensating impedance 39 to the receiver,`or common receiver and transmitter connection, and the other is connected by a conductor 40 to the transmitter.

It is preferred to use in the receiver for greater eiliciency, an iron cored magnet or magnets. The condensers 2O connected as shown, break the conductive connection to the magnet windings and provide for their actuation by the capacitive effect of the condensers, without affecting the polarity of the fixed magnets. Whenever any portable instrument, such as PI or Ol, is plugged into a jack, the main circuit is established in an obvious way. At the same time the circuit, including the series compensatingimpedance 22L of the local station instrument is broken', but when the plug is removed this impedance is restored to the circuit to compensate for the impedance of the portable instrument. Vhen any portable instrument is connected, the switch 35 is normally in the position shown, to break the transmitter circuit and maintain the receiver circuit. The compensating impedance 39 is then connected or in circuit to compensate for the impedance of the disconnected transmitter. lVhen the user of the portable set wishes to transmit, he presses button 36, establishing the transmittcr circuit in an obvious way, and atthe same time throwing the compensating impedance 39 out of circuit.

Since any part of a large number of instruments may be connected or disconnected in any group circuit, the compensating 1mpedances, automatically inserted and removed, are of great value in properly bal-- ancing the lines.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate one form of portable appliance, including a breast plate having an adjustable shoulder or neck strap 5l and an adjustable belt or waist strap 52. The transmit-ter T is mounted on an upper part of the breast plate by means of a double articulated bracket 55, and is also. pivoted at 56 in the upper fork of the bracket, so that it may be easily adjusted to any Convenient position near the lips of the. user. The transmitter conductors are carried by a cable 60 to a junction boX 61, which may have a detachable vcover 62 secured by a vchain 63. Cables 64 lead from the junction box to the separate units 70 constituting the receiver R,

which is arranged as an adjustable head set,

busses, each with local station instruments,`

connector busses, and means for connecting the busses ot' any group line with the connector busses line supply busses, means for connecting any group line bus to theline supply busses, each of said means including balancing impedances and a plurality of distant station connecting switches for eachgroupline, and means for connecting the grouplines selectively, all said itemslocated at a main or control station, distant stations connected to said distant station connecting switches, and means enabling the connection of any distant station to any group line other than its own group line.

2. An inter-communicating telephone system comprising a plurality .of group-line busses, each with local station instruments, connector busses, and means for connecting the busses of any group line with the connector busses line supply busses, means for connecting any group line bus to the line supply busses, each of said meansincluding balancing' impedances and a plurality of distantfstation connecting switches for each group-line, and means for connecting the groupslines selectively, all said items located at a main or control station, distant stations connected to said distant station connecting switches, and portable instruments connectible to the distant and main station instruments, and means enabling any local station instrument to be cross connected to any group line other than its own group Y line.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York this 22nd day of October A. D. 1925. i

JOSEPH S. JONES. Y SAMUEL N. MEAD, J R. 

